Stack and tilt: let's have a heated debate

[Slime]

Slime update.
Range session 3.
Okay, mixed results today.
Irons...lovely, borrowed Ping hybrid...beautiful, my Callaway 4 wood...absolutely fine, borrowed R11 driver...NIGHTMARE!!!
It was a 10* (max adjustment) R11 with a regular shaft & I just could NOT hit the damn thing properly.
90% of hits were a pushed slice. It sent the ball miles but would finish up to 45* off line. I tried adjusting ball position, swing speed, weight distribution & all to no avail.
The feeling I had was that I was standing upright far too quickly & had great trouble getting the hip thrust correct. Is this normal for those embarking on S&T? Is it my sh#te golf swing? (Although my 4 wood was going really well)! Would a stiff shaft correct the fault? (Really clutching at straws methinks)!
Any comments (ideally from S&T advocates) would be gratefuuly received.
I really would love to be able to have confidence in my driver!
My local PGA golf pro is going to have a look at my swing tomorrow but I know he's not a great advocate of S&T for golfers with a handicap in double figures. He knows it can be great for iron play but says most golfers have trouble getting the hip thrust correct when using a driver, is he correct?
Help me someone.........pretty please.
Many thanks forummers,

Slime.

 

[One Planer]

They put trees in front of your greens???? ...sounds tricky!

You're not kidding! Strictly speaking they're not in front of the green but in an area between the previous fairway and the next green. Never the less the final tree in the row covers about a third of the left hand side of the green. Hittin right to left into this green is ideal.

If you're getting a small push that's excellent, now you've just got to get the swingpath a little more in-to-out to create the drawspin. Make sure you're alignment/shoulders aren't open, everything square (parallel) to the target line, try having the hands just a little more forward at address and see how you get on. You need to feel like you're swinging down, flattening out, then hitting the ball at the 4 o'clock position.

Thanks for the tips, again, James. I'll try what you suggest at the range later this week.

 

[JustOne]

Slime, the pattern for driver is to hit it about level (not up on it or down on it), 50% of tour pros hit down at -1° so don't panic. The key is in the setup, set up normal with a little weight on your left then bump your hip slightly towards the target a couple of inches, this will help the downswing come from the inside (drawspin), the hands should be forward so there is an inch or two of shaft lean towards the target. The clubface at address should point a fraction right of your target to get the ball started to the right (and then draw back).

If you want to hit up on the ball (which it sounds like you are trying to do) then on your downswing you really need to swing quite a lot from in-to-out through the ball to compensate for the upwards impact.. as much as 13° to the right (McIlroy does this, just so you know )

 

[AllyLodge]

I'll do the same as slime.
Session 2
I've read About 75 pages of the book, and the only thing I dont understand is the "hands in" bit. Seems a Bit dim, but I just don't seem to get it. This session, there were more cons than pro's.
Pros:
The ball-striking is phenomenal. I was placing the balls in awful lies, such as large divots and hard grass, and they were all easily launching in the air.
Cons:
My back Is starting to hurt, A LOT. Not sure how to solve this, which is a bit worrying.

I'm not really getting a push draw, which is really disappointing. I'm getting s slight fade, which may be because I'm not going from out to in, my grip or not doing the hands is part of it. Don't really know what to do here , so any help would be appreciated.

-Ally

 

[JustOne]

My back Is starting to hurt, A LOT. Not sure how to solve this, which is a bit worrying.

If that's the case make sure you warm up properly before hitting full shots. It's not unusual for muscles that have never been used properly to ache when used heavily for the first time in a new way. If I play football I can barely walk for the next two days,... did 100 sit-ups once and couldn't stand up straight for 3

Just be careful with your new powers!


for backswing watch this video, especially towards the end with clubs on the floor...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jr1hUhILyM

 

[AllyLodge]

If that's the case make sure you warm up properly before hitting full shots. It's not unusual for muscles that have never been used properly to ache when used heavily for the first time in a new way. If I play football I can barely walk for the next two days,... did 100 sit-ups once and couldn't stand up straight for 3

Just be careful with your new powers!


for backswing watch this video, especially towards the end with clubs on the floor...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jr1hUhILyM

Thanks, will look at all of his blog, looks rather interesting.

First time I went to the gym I couldn't straighten my arms for 2 days

 

[G1BB0]

quick q for you Justone, as a leftie who plays right I have always felt that it actually hinders me, I feel that the weight being on the left with s&t will come more naturally being a leftie, is there anything to back this up or does it not make a jot of difference?

 

[big_russ]

the only thing I dont understand is the "hands in" bit. Seems a Bit dim, but I just don't seem to get it
-Ally

Ally, if you watch the dazhwood blog then watch some of his other more recent coaching videos he shows how the hands in movement is achieved.

 

[JustOne]

quick q for you Justone, as a leftie who plays right I have always felt that it actually hinders me, I feel that the weight being on the left with s&t will come more naturally being a leftie, is there anything to back this up or does it not make a jot of difference?

Hard to say anything conclusive, I'm a left who plays right, however my right arm is the strongest. Mickelson is a rightie who plays left... it has to be whichever you are most comfortable with. Did you ever try playing as a leftie?

 

[JustOne]

First time I went to the gym I couldn't straighten my arms for 2 days

I had similar however it was after I found www.10000000pornofilms.com

 

[G1BB0]

nah feels totally wierd, think its due to getting right handed clubs as a kid and just learning to hit it and its stuck. Funny thing is when I was in the army could only shoot left handed as cant even try it right handed. Maybe I am just messed up lol. Watching Dazhwood's vids atm, very good indeed

 

[AllyLodge]

Hard to say anything conclusive, I'm a left who plays right, however my right arm is the strongest . Mickelson is a rightie who plays left... it has to be whichever you are most comfortable with. Did you ever try playing as a leftie?

Wonder why your right arm is the strongest ?

 

[Slime]

Slime, the pattern for driver is to hit it about level (not up on it or down on it), 50% of tour pros hit down at -1° so don't panic. The key is in the setup, set up normal with a little weight on your left then bump your hip slightly towards the target a couple of inches, this will help the downswing come from the inside (drawspin), the hands should be forward so there is an inch or two of shaft lean towards the target. The clubface at address should point a fraction right of your target to get the ball started to the right (and then draw back). )

Thanks for the help matey,
I'm assuming the ball is adjacent to or just inside my left heel, is this correct?
Am at the range again tomorrow, will report back.

Slime.

 

[Slime]

My back Is starting to hurt, A LOT. Not sure how to solve this, which is a bit worrying.
-Ally

Hi AllyLodge,
I found after my first attempt at S&T, which was totally new to me, the following couple of days my neck was really sore from my windpipe round to level with just behind my right ear! I mean it was SORE, but now it's fine as I'm giving those areas regular workouts, i.e. S&T range sessions.

Slime.

 

[Monty_Brown]

Update from me...

It's all really starting to click. Had a game at Hanbury Manor on Saturday. Playing off the championship tees, was -1 under par gross after 5 holes, and can honestly say I have NEVER hit the ball better in 20 years playing the game. Threw shots away only through a rusty short game.

The only poor shots were pushes with short irons and wedges. I'm wondering whether to use a less severely inside the line takeway on shorter clubs. Anyone have similar issues on short irons? I don't really want to get into the issue of actively getting hands through the ball... I'd rather it was subconscious.

 

[JustOne]

The only poor shots were pushes with short irons and wedges. I'm wondering whether to use a less severely inside the line takeway on shorter clubs. Anyone have similar issues on short irons? I don't really want to get into the issue of actively getting hands through the ball... I'd rather it was subconscious.

If you are pushing then the swingpath is already not enough to the inside (no draw spin)... or you have the face a little too open at impact and the ball is starting a litte too far right to recover.

 

[Monty_Brown]

I was just having a mooch on the S&T website and here's the list of UK-based instructors that Bennett and Plummer have trained or accredited. Thought it might be useful for anyone looking to pursue more formal coaching.

Philippe Bonfanti
Isle of Purbeck Golf Club
Dorset BH19 3AB, United Kingdom

James Hirshfield
Radlett Golf Centre
Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Phone - 44 7941 267 672

Darren Hopwood
Penwortham Golf Club
Preston, PR1 0AX, United Kingdom
Phone - 44 01772 742345

Sam Quirke
Drift Golf Club
Surrey KT24 5HD United Kingdom
Phone - 44 07879 624 361

James Ridyard
The Bedford Golf Club
Bedford United Kingdom
Phone - 44 7737 553265

 

[One Planer]

Is that the full list Monty?

I'm gutted there isn't one in the midlands

 

[Monty_Brown]

Is that the full list Monty?

I'm gutted there isn't one in the midlands

Afraid so. You mean Stoke isn't near Preston? Both sound like the frozen North to me!

I'm lucky that I could get to James Hirshall in Radlett or James ridyard in Bedford in well within an hour.

I'm tempted to stick with the the self-teaching from book and video for a few months, then go for a mid-season tune-up with an instructor. I imagine these guys are fairly pricey as there's aren't many S&T guys around....

 

[One Planer]

Afraid so. You mean Stoke isn't near Preston? Both sound like the frozen North to me!

Probably about an hour and 20 away from me. Not exactly the "Ends of the Earth" but bit far to jaunt for a lesson.

I'm lucky that I could get to James Hirshall in Radlett or James ridyard in Bedford in well within an hour.

I'm tempted to stick with the the self-teaching from book and video for a few months, then go for a mid-season tune-up with an instructor. I imagine these guys are fairly pricey as there's aren't many S&T guys around....

I'm going to stick to what I'm doing also (Self taught from the book) as I'm seeing real benefit. Then, maybe, if I can afford, try ad book a lesson and try and convince HID we can make a day of it. Here's hoping anyway.